The fast-casual sandwiches-and-salads chain has unveiled a new 20-ounce plastic cup that lists the amount of sugar and and calories in fountain drinks. The same information is also printed on posted menus.

“We believe it’s up to companies to take the lead on transparency (and) not wait for legislation," CEO Ron Shaich said in a statement.

Since the company debuted its line of new craft drinks, which includes partially-sweetened to completely unsweetened options, Panera has reported an 8% shift from soda to more lightly sweetened beverages.

Panera's so-called "sweet facts cup" debuts in New York, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C.; Chicago, Charlotte, Dallas, Atlanta and St. Louis this week and then rolls out across the country in September, according to Sara Burnett, Panera's director of wellness and food policy.

Restaurant analyst John Gordon of the Pacific Management Consulting Group said this new cup makes sense for Panera.

Other chains "would consider this a pretty great risk, the fact that beverages are a big portion of the ticket of any restaurant, " he said. "It could result in a short-term average (check) decline because people get their sodas and think, 'Oh my God.'"

Panera says it also sells 32-ounce fountain drinks, but the cups with calorie and added sugar stats aren't available for that size at this time.

Customers are handed the empty cup after they pay for their order. Then they head to the fountain dispenser for their drinks, whether it's a regular cola (250 calories, 17.25 teaspoons of added sugar) or a Blood Orange Lemonade (160, 8.25) or a Plum Ginger Hibiscus Tea (0, 0).

The "regular cola" Panera sells is Pepsi. When asked about their products' inclusion on the cup, the beverage company said, "Pepsico and Panera are both on a journey to offer consumers healthier beverage options with fewer calories and less added sugar. We have a diverse portfolio of low-calorie, no-calorie, no added sugar and unsweetened beverage choices."

Gordon said he thinks the move might be aimed at luring Panera customers into switching to its own craft beverages, which have less added sugar and fewer calories than soda. The line drinks debuted in the spring.

"They’re basically marketing their beverages and that’s a very healthy thing, because we know soda consumption in this country is down," he said. "If McDonald's did this, Coke would slit its wrists."

Sweetened beverages is under fire in various communities across the United States, as governments look to institute so-called soda taxes. They've popped up in Philadelphia, Chicago, Seattle and Berkeley, Calif., but whether these levied charges change consumer spending remains to be seen.

Menu labeling has been around longer. It rose to the national stage as a provision of 2010 Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare. Under the federal rules, chain restaurants with a minimum of 20 sites must prominently post nutritional information for standard menu items at their locations.

Though U.S. Food and Drug Administration's compliance deadline was pushed off in 2015, 2016 and this past spring, many chain restaurants already have begun displaying their food's stats, such as calories, sugars, fat, and cholesterol.

Research on whether posting nutritional information helps people make better food choices isn't conclusive. An often-cited 2013 study found that people consumed 151 fewer calories in restaurants with menu labeling; others determined that many people simply ignore what's posted.

"Is it going to be dramatic, huge intervention, the big shift? Probably not," he said. "People already attuned already looked for (the nutritional information) and were already aware this drink is high in calories or they would’ve opted for water. I’m not positive how how strong an impact this will have."

But he likes that the added-sugar and calorie data is being presented to diners not just on the menu board.

"If you print calories all over the place, it might have the effect of people paying more attention," he added.

The Luxembourg-based investment firm JAB, best known for owning Krispy Kreme, is bought Panera for $7 billion.

Panera has more than 2,000 restaurants in 46 states and Canada, using the Panera Bread, St. Louis Bread Co. and Paradise Bakery & Cafe names.